Best new addition to the arts scene

Critics' Pick

Scott Elmquist

Virginia Commonwealth University's Institute for Contemporary Art

601 W. Broad St.
828-2823
icavcu.org

Well, duh. It's not everyday that you get a $41 million new museum at a central corner in the city dreamed up by world-class architect, Steven Holl. A noncollecting museum, its inaugural show, "Declaration," is built around the idea of inclusion and facing up to many of today's controversial societal issues. It includes things as varied as colorful Ku Klux Klan robes by Paul Rucker and a huge tar ball encasing soiled prisoner's clothes. With Richmond reportedly being one of the most attractive cities for millennials right now, it was about time we got a new setting for modern art — something to keep us thinking outside the box. Here's hoping future shows will continue to challenge and put Richmond's art scene on the map, while helping redefine the city as more than just a historical destination.